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Accepted
Wauzl
Asked: 2012-04-21 13:47:22 +0800 CST

How to open the same document in evince multiple times?

  • 772

I want to open a PDF file multiple times with evince. I want to do this to be able to look at different sections of the same file at the same time. Every time I try to open the file again, it only brings up the already opened evince window with my PDF file. I also tried to open a new evince window and then opening my file by using the menu of evince.

Is there any possibility to do this?

evince multiple-instances

6 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    In evince you can use File --> Open a Copy to open another window showing the same file.

    • 78

  2. In Ubuntu 18.04 I found no "View in new window" but did find "Open a copy" under the "File Options" button on the far right. This opens a new instance. Later I found that you won't see the content until you scroll it.

    • 9

  3. There is no File menu in Ubuntu 18.04's Evince. The other options:

    1. Use Ctrl+N shortcut. It can be found in Keyboard Shortcuts with
      • Keyboard Shortcuts in Alt menu options search
      • Document Viewer -> Keyboard Shortcuts menu
    2. Use menu ☰ -> Open a Copy in the right upper angle, as in Rob's comment.
    • 5

  4. The accepted answer for this doesn't work for Evince anymore. To view the document multiple times in that program, select "View in new window" from the menu.

    • 4

  5. I don't like Evince's default behavior, so I clear the DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS environment variable before invoking it. This is my wrapper script, which I have in a directory that is before /usr/bin in my $PATH:

    #!/usr/bin/env bash
set -e

declare -r EX_SOFTWARE=70

# Find the right Evince.
my_id=$(stat -c %d:%i -- "$0")
while IFS= read -r p; do
    if [[ "$my_id" != "$(stat -c %d:%i -- "$p")" ]]; then
        bin=$p
        break
    fi
done < <(type -ap evince)
[[ -z $bin ]] && exit $EX_SOFTWARE

setsid -f env DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS= "$bin" "$@" &>/dev/null <&1
    • 2

  6. The above solutions are not flexible if you use two monitors or like the command prompt. I'm using (in .bashrc):

    function open2 () { ( ln -s "$1" "L~$1"; evince "L~$1"; \rm "L~$1" ) & }
    1. This works with one file only,
    2. \rm because I have an alias rm='rm -i',
    3. evince=atril in Ubuntu Mate
    • 0